


Why Are You Bleeding?

by dolliewithasmile



Category: Rhett & Link
Genre: Angst, Comfort, Hurt, Love, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-24
Updated: 2017-09-24
Packaged: 2019-01-04 20:26:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12175968
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dolliewithasmile/pseuds/dolliewithasmile
Summary: I was given the prompt: "Why the hell are you bleeding?"





	Why Are You Bleeding?

Link pulled his hood up, his body shivering violently in the chilly winter air as he walked down main street. What will mom do when she finds out? Will she pick his side? Will she disown me?  
He sighed, his breath coming out in soft puffs of white, the tips of his fingers beginning to burn from the intense cold. It had been two and a half hours since his step father had kicked him out, once his step father had locked the door behind him and denied him entry or the use of the house phone, he immediately went to find Rhett. When he got to Rhett’s house, he found the drive way empty and he remembered: Rhett and his family were in Lilington at his aunt’s house. The walk to Lillington was five miles, the previous night it had snowed heavily, leaving the roads blanketed in a thick layer of pure white, but Link knew he had to find Rhett.  
Link struggled with his steps, his feet disappearing into the snow with every step, pulling him down, stuffing his shoes full of powdered snow. He hissed when the coldness touched his skin, he pulled the strings of his hoodie to help block his face from the chilled air and looked up at the street signs when he came to a cross roads, he was close.   
Hot tears streaked down Link’s cheeks, almost freezing upon impact with the winter air and he sighed in relief when he saw a local convenience store open on the corner, the only sign of life he had seen in miles. With a deep breath he trudged through the snow quickly and nearly collapsed at the doors of the store, he leaned against the door and it gave way.   
Link sighed when the warm air engulfed him and he rubbed his hands together in an attempt to warm them up.  
“Oh my goodness..are you alright?” Asked the old woman behind the counter, she rushed over and cupped his hands, “My god you’re frozen to the bone! Come here, let me fix you a cup of coffee.” She ushered him to the break room in the back, and sat him down at the small table, she walked over to the coffee pot and poured him a large cup of coffee, “Sugar? Cream?”  
“Yes, please.” Link said weakly, and the woman obliged.   
She placed the cup of coffee in front of him and rushed over to the sink with a wad of napkins before stepping back over to Link, “Here, let me clean that up for you.” She smiled softly, hurt in her eyes due to the state of the young man in front of her.  
Link nodded, turning his face to her, his eyes averted. The woman wiped at the dried blood at his lip and eye as gently as she could, but the wound was fresh and it stung, the area around it already bruised.  
“Is there someone I can call? I..do you want me to call the police, sweetheart?” She asked gently.  
Link finally looked up at her, “My best friend, I need to call him.”  
The woman nodded and motioned to the phone on the wall, “Go ahead honey, I’ll just be out there if you need me, ok?”   
“Thank you.” Link tried to smile but the wound at his lip split and sent a jolt of pain across his nerves, making him grimace. After she left the room he placed his hands around the cup of coffee, letting the hot drink warm his chilled fingers. Slowly he brought the cup up to his lips and took small sips, sighing in relief when the coffee hit his stomach and began to warm him from within.   
Link stood after finishing his cup of coffee and grabbed the phone from the wall, punching in the number of Rhett’s aunt, his fingers nervously tapping the counter as he waited. He knew Rhett would be there for him, like he always was, but he was terrified of what he would do when he found out what had happened to him. Maybe I should just lie and say I got mugged?  
“Hello?”  
“Hi, this is Link Neal, Rhett’s friend?”  
“Oh hey honey, do you wanna talk to Rhett?”  
“Yes, please ma'am.”  
“Rhett sweetie, phone!” His aunt called, her voice muffled.  
Link held his breath, releasing it slowly as his body relaxed when the familiar voice of Rhett came through.  
“Hey, bo. What’s up?”  
“Hey Rhett, listen..” Link swallowed, “Can you come get me?”  
Rhett’s side went quiet and Link knew immediately, Rhett was pissed. “What happened?” He asked, his voice sharp like a razor.  
“Please, please just come get me.” Link whispered, his voice hitching as tears threatened to fall.   
“Yeah yeah, of course, where are you?”  
After Link gave Rhett the address, he heard him call to his family, “I’ve gotta go! I’ll be back soon!”, then a bit of rustling against the reciever, “I’ll be there soon, bo.”   
Link smiled and slowly hung up the phone, hugging himself as he left the break room, “Thank you for your help.” He said to the woman.  
“Anytime honey, do you have someone picking you up?”  
“Yeah.” He looked down at the floor. “Thanks again.” He gave her a small wave and left the store, waiting outside with his back to the wall.  
Link counted the seconds until he saw Rhett’s car come into view, his breathing stalled and he felt his stomach twist nervously when Rhett parked the car and got out, rushing over to him.  
“Oh my god..why the hell are you bleeding?!” Rhett’s eyes widened and he surveyed Link’s broken, snow covered body. “Who did this to you? Hm?” He stepped close, gently cupping Link’s face in his large, warm hands.  
Link smiled sadly, “My stepdad, he-” He sniffled as tears began to fill his eyes, “He found our pictures under my bed, the..the ones we took two years ago when we were sixteen, with the yellow flower.”  
Rhett’s eyebrows raised and his eyes widened, it had been such a beautiful day, a day of discovery for the two young boys, and the very last photo on the roll they had saved for documentation of their very first kiss. “Oh no..” He whispered and shook his head, “I’m so sorry, bo, I..I should have been there, I’m so sorry.” Rhett pulled the short brunette into his arms and he held him tightly, his own body trembling once his tears began to fall.  
“It’s okay, Rhett, I knew you’d come for me. You always do.”


End file.
